A bold new arts project came to East London in 2014, working innovatively with disabled people to take archives 'out of the box.' When you think of archives, the traditional image you may conjure up is of hundreds of documents from a forgotten era which are locked away in hidden vaults.

Out of the Box - The exhibition
A showcase for artwork created in response to the heritage collections of Tower Hamlets Local History Library and Archives.

Project Learning
Out of the Box: Enabling Access to Archives
A conference for professionals working in the UK archive and cultural heritage sectors interested in ways of improving the accessibility of archive collections for disabled people.

Photo Exploration

Follow lead artist Caglar's explorations of East London maps, family photos, street markets, people and their stories, hidden in the Tower Hamlets Local History Library and Archives rooms!
Could your neighborhood or favorite street market be in one of these photos?
Do you know the people who once lived on the same as street as you?
How were these photos made?

Creative workshops
Between July and August 2014, participants took the archives 'out of the box' exploring stories of East London streets and people, blending their own memories of local history, past and present lives of communities in Tower Hamlets. By the end of each workshop there were new narratives through participants fresh approach and inclusive ways of accessing the archives.